I earned my doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Southern Illinois University, an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program. I completed an APA-accredited internship at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Counseling Services and a post-doctoral residency at UC Davis Counseling and Psychological Services.
My overall training included five years in university counseling centers, two years in a university wellness center doing alcohol and drug counseling, three years doing career counseling, one year in a non-profit community mental health agency, and one year doing wellness coaching for medical health professionals.
I work from a relational-cultural approach that is catered to a person’s specific needs in the moment. I value exploration of factors that impact a person’s daily life and history, such as family, community, and cultures of origin. I attend to unique identities and backgrounds, including ethnicity, race, country/region of origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, religious/spiritual background, socioeconomic status, size, and other identities important to the person.
Together, we work to identify the primary concern and some strategies to move forward. I value the relationship in therapy and attempt to create a safe space to focus on difficult concerns. I often focus on understanding and balancing emotions, mindfulness, and self-acceptance.
Services-Individual therapy
-Couples therapy
-Group therapy
-Consultation
-Workshops
Areas of Expertise-Sexual Violence, Abuse, and Trauma
-Coping with emotions
-Relationship issues
-Self-worth
-Eating and body image concerns
-Grief/loss
-Depression
-Anxiety